Tag Archives: Justin Turner

The Mets announced third baseman David Wright underwent successful surgery today to repair a disk in his neck. What they did not announce was what happens next.

Dr. Robert Watkins, who performed the surgery, and Mets’ doctors advise rest as Wright recovers from the cervical discectomy and fusion.

WRIGHT: What happens next? (AP)

“After trying every way to get back on the field, I’ve come to realize that it’s best for me, my teammates and the organization to proceed with surgery at this time,” Wright said in a statement released by the team.

“`My neck simply did not respond to any of the treatments of the past few weeks. While incredibly frustrating and disappointing, I am determined to make a full recovery and get back on the field as soon as I can to help the Mets win. I greatly appreciate the support of my teammates and our fans throughout the last few weeks.”

Wilmer Flores is the immediate option, but left Thursday night’s 6-4 victory iover Pittsburgh in the third with a bruised left wrist. Kelly Johnson and Ty Kelly are on the 25-man roster. There has also been speculation of Neil Walker moving from second to third and Dilson Herrera being promoted from Triple-A Las Vegas.

The most appealing of those is to stick with Flores.

Those are the internal options. As far as trade options, it is generally considered too early to deal. Of course, it would have been great to get Todd Frazier last season, but that’s ruminating.

“`Everything has been discussed,” manager Terry Collins told reporters. “We knew a few days ago that this was a definite possibility, so we’ve talked about other options – about moving guys. We’re still open to anything, but right now, for the short term, this is what we’re going to do.”

However, when it comes to Wright, there really is not a short term. The odds are we probably won’t see him again this season, and if so, likely not before September. That means the Mets need to be thinking long-term options.

Steven Matz pitched well enough to win most games, but most games he’s not facing Clayton Kershaw, the game’s best pitcher. One of the things I like most about Mets manager Terry Collins is the confidence he displays in his players. His decision to stick with Matz as his Game 4 starter – despite only six career starts – against Kershaw screamed he had the ultimate confidence.

MATZ: Good, just not Kershaw good. (Getty)

The knee-jerk reaction is to say Matz spit the bit in tonight’s 3-1 loss to the Dodgers to send the NLDS back to Los Angeles for the deciding Game 5. Tell me, if I told you Matz would have given up three runs tonight, you would have grabbed it in a second.

“He pitched very good,” Collins said. “He was outstanding. If we get to the next round we have all the confidence in the world in him.”

That’s an awfully big “if.” It’s one thing to beat Kershaw at home. It’s another for them to encore that by beating Zack Greinke on the road. That will be a daunting task.

Collins could have gone with staff ace Jacob deGrom – he said that was on the table had the Mets lost Game 3 – but as it turned out, Matz was a good choice. Remember, this was his seventh Major League start and it was on a national stage. Next year, the Mets are counting on him for at least 30 starts.

Think of the pressure on Matz. He was pitching on national television with a chance to send the Mets to the next round. That’s a lot of pressure on the 24-year-old lefty, especially considering he hadn’t pitched since Sept. 24, that he was coming off an injury, and was trying to match Kershaw pitch for pitch.

It was one bad inning that did in Matz. Adrian Gonzalez drove in the Dodgers’ first run with a bloop single to center, then two more on Justin Turner’s two-run double. That’s two bad pitches he’d like to have back.

“To sum it up, a couple of mistakes hurt me,” Matz said. “I thought I threw the ball good. I just had a bad inning, but against a guy like Kershaw you have to put up zeroes.”

Sure there were nerves, regardless of his pre-game vow to “take the emotions out of it.” Collins had to sense Matz wasn’t snowing him when he looked him in the eye and was told he was ready.

And, even in defeat, Matz showed the baseball world he was ready for this moment.

The Mets won their season series against the Dodgers primarily because of pitching. So, let’s assume starters Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Matt Harvey pitch lights out, what then will be the three keys to beating the Dodgers?

MURPHY: Needs to stay in lineup. (AP)

First, they have to split in Los Angeles. There’s no way they’ll win the series if they lose the first two games, against Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. So, how do they beat two Cy Young Award candidates, beginning with Kershaw Friday night?

Since Dodgers manager Don Mattingly is a disciple to pitch counts, the Mets must work the count. If leadoff hitter Curtis Granderson squeezes out a nine-pitch at-bat to lead off the game but strikes out, that’s still productive.

If nothing else, if the Mets lose Game 1 but force Kershaw to throw 120 pitches, that puts a strain on him for Game 5.

Secondly, the Mets can’t reinvent the wheel. All year, manager Terry Collins played Granderson, Daniel Murphy and Lucas Dudaagainst left-handers. There’s no reason for him to deviate now.

Finally, assuming deGrom turns the game over to the bullpen in good shape, it must hold the lead or at least keep the game close. For the most part, Addison Reed, Tyler Clippard did the job, but the question of how to pitch to left-handed hitter Adrian Gonzalez remains an issue.

There you go, one, two, three. Simple as that,

***

I’d like to thank my friend Joe DeCaro for posting the feature on Justin Turner.

On December 2nd, 2013 the New York Mets decided to non-tender then-utility infielder Justin Turner. Essentially, the Mets front office decided to release Turner because he was due a raise in arbitration that would have paid him $750 thousand dollars.

However, after a tide of shock and dismay by Mets fans on social media, two days later the team leaked rumors that the real reason they cut Turner was because he was “lazy” and “didn’t hustle.” Fans didn’t buy it.

“That caught me off guard. It was something I wasn’t expecting. I’ll tell you what, that was probably the worst offseason I’ve had – not knowing where or if I was going to be playing the next year. That was hard.”

On Monday, Mets GM Sandy Alderson spoke about that decision with Bill Shakin of the Los Angeles Times,

“He was always sort of a marginal 40-man roster guy,” Alderson said. “We gave him more of an opportunity than he had elsewhere, and he did a nice job for us. But you’d have to say we missed on him.”

In 36 at-bats against the Mets, Turner has tagged them for five doubles, two home runs, five runs, five RBIs, a .583 slugging percentage and .938 OPS.

Since leaving the Mets Turner has emerged as one of the Dodgers’ top hitters slashing at .314/.384/.492 with 47 doubles, 23 home runs to go with a 145 OPS+ and 8.4 fWAR over 675 at-bats. With runners in scoring position this season, Turner is batting .322/.404/.556.

“He brings that college mentality of ‘do anything’ to a big league clubhouse,” said Mets third baseman David Wright on Monday. “He’s an excellent defender, can play a number of positions, give you a great at-bat, great situational hitter, good in the clubhouse.”

“I’m happy for him,” Wright said. “I’m not going to be happy if he plays well against us in the playoffs. But he’s one of those guys you genuinely root for.”

Terry Collins also weighed in saying, “He’s gotten his opportunity. A lot of times, guys who get the opportunity to be an everyday guy don’t run with it. He has. I salute him. He’s one of my favorite guys.”